March 21, 2013

Spring Cleaning

How about some spring cleaning for your congregation?

With Easter approaching, we again have the opportunity to welcome many more visitors through our church doors. Consider dusting off those corners, sprucing up your narthex, or tidying up the parish website. We hope these articles and resources will provide inspiration to help your parish shine forth with the festivities and beauty of the Resurrection this Easter.

Looking for more helpful resources? Subscribe to ECF Vital Practices to receive this midmonth digest in your inbox along with our monthly Vestry Papers publication.


Hospitality Matters: Seeing Our Buildings Anew

What people see – or don’t see – when entering your church can make a lasting impression. Priest, architect, and liturgical artist Eliza Linley shares some great ideas, small and large, in Hospitality Matters: Seeing Our Buildings Anew for sprucing up your church. When reading through the article, take note of some smaller projects for Easter and think about some other ideas to work on later this year.


At the End of the Day

Does your congregation have an effective newcomer ministry? Maybe it’s time to polish your welcome to guests? In At the End of the Day, Mary Parmer shares a road map and resources for congregations to use from the Diocese of Texas Newcomer Ministry Project.

Blog Posts

What's Your Sign?: Have you looked at your church sign lately? Can you remember what it says? It might be time to take a look…


What ARE You Saying?: Paying attention to what the experience of visiting a church is like can help avoid confusion for someone visiting your church.



How Not to Win Friends and Impress Visitors: Most churches claim to be welcoming. However, there can be a disconnect between what the members of the congregation think and what the guest experiences.

Tools and Resources

ECF Spring 2013 Web Conferences: Topics include vestry leadership, stewardship, and running meetings. Be sure to reserve your spot and register today!

Adventures in Technology in a Mom and Pop Store: Advertising with social media is easier than you think and very effective at connecting to new people.

Print vs. Digital: Which? When?: Here are some tips to help you choose the right tool for your budget, and the right tool for the job.


Holy Care for Holy Places

Perhaps some spring cleaning shows you really need to get down to business with your buildings and grounds. Annabelle Radcliffe-Trenner knows that this can be a daunting, even thankless job. In Holy Care for Holy Places, she breaks down the umbrella of maintaining church buildings into gradual steps to organize and equip your congregation for proactively caring for your buildings and grounds.